The following incidents were selected from the Lexington Police Department log during the week leading up to March 3. The Lexington Observer does not independently verify this information.
Arrest
Wednesday, February 26, at 12:10 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Marrett Road Cumberland Farms for a commercial burglar alarm triggered by entry/exit motion. Upon arrival, officers found the front entrance door propped open with the lock still dead-bolted, resting on a secondary door. They observed a male standing at the counter with an open Coca-Cola bottle in front of him, staring back at them. This individual was later identified as an East Boston resident. When asked what he was doing in the store, he said he was thirsty and cold and went into the store when he found the door was unlocked. He stated he was homeless and had come to Lexington a few days earlier. After an officer read him his Miranda rights, he was placed in the cruiser and transported to the station where he was booked for the following charges: breaking and entering (B&E) nighttime; building and intent to commit felony and larceny of property under $1,200. He was released on personal recognizance by the bail commissioner.
Assault and Battery
Wednesday, February 26, at 3:35 p.m., a caller reported an adult male and a juvenile fighting in the back parking lot of the St. John’s Korean United Methodist Church on Mass Avenue. Responding officers spoke to all involved, and it was determined that an adult had pushed two juveniles into a snowbank. The adult male will be summoned for two counts of assault and battery. A 51A report was filed through the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Detective Hankins spoke with the principal at Hastings regarding this incident, and all the juveniles involved attend Hastings.
Saturday, March 1, at 5:15 p.m., a Lexington Ridge Drive resident reported he was “harassed and assaulted” while he was in his garage. He has a video of the altercation and reported the woman hit him twice. The argument started when he pulled into an open spot and noticed a white dog tied to a tree on an approximately 15-foot leash. The dog jumped up onto his truck and attempted to attack him. A woman retrieved the dog. This resident spoke with her, and a verbal disagreement ensued. The woman pushed him and hit him twice with a closed fist. Medical attention was offered, but declined. He had no visible injuries at the time. A CJIS inquiry showed his assailant was a Lynn, MA resident.
Community Engagement
Friday, February 28, at 4:45 p.m., an officer joined Lieutenant Detective Dunbar, Detective Chaisson, and another officer at Depot Square to assist with a Ramadan celebration.
Directed Park, Lock, and Walk – Schools
During this past week, officers made six visits to elementary schools, three visits to middle schools, and one to the high school. During a visit to Lexington High, an officer checked in at the Main Office where he spoke with staff members and several students.
Suspicious Activity/Person
Tuesday, February 25, at 2:20 a.m., a caller reported multiple people with flashlights walking around the Knights of Columbus building on Bedford Street. The reporting party stated that the lights triggered his cameras, and he saw them in the footage. The responding officer reported that workers from the Water Department were present and all was in order.
Saturday, March 1, at 11:42 a.m., a Lincoln Street resident reported three men in their mid-20s came to her door. She could not understand them as they were speaking Spanish. She asked them to leave, locked her door, and called the police. She stated that because she lives alone, strangers at her door made her nervous. She told the responding officers that they were driving a white van with ladders on the roof. Officers checked the residence and the surrounding area, and nothing was out of order.
Disturbance
Wednesday, February 26, at 11:20 a.m., a Cary Memorial Library employee reported a male in his 60s yelling obscenities at the staff. Upon arrival, the responding officers spoke with this Bedford resident. He explained he was upset with the way the staff treated him. He left the premises willingly and understood the library intended to file a no-trespass order (NTO). The responding officer spoke with the library director, and she requested a copy of the NTO be sent to her e-mail. A copy would also be mailed to the man’s Bedford address.
Fraud
Tuesday, February 25, at 9:30 a.m., a Cedar Street resident reported an unknown person retrieved a check he deposited into a US mailbox in Lexington. One check was washed and rewritten for $9,861.25 from his Bank of America (BOA) checking account. A second check was stolen, but this resident stopped payment on the check before it was cashed.
Tuesday, February 25, at 4:05 p.m., a Ward Street resident reported suspicious activity on her computer. She was using her computer and attempted to log into her Norton Antivirus account, but couldn’t access it. The “representative” from Norton asked for her banking information. She did not give any personal information to this person. This resident stated the “representative” then hacked her computer, and she has been unable to gain access to some computer applications. There was no monetary loss, but she wanted this information documented with the Police Department (PD). The responding officer advised her to contact credit card credit bureaus and to monitor credit reports and bank statements. She stated she had hired a computer technician to deal with computer problems and vulnerabilities.
Friday, February 28, at 11:20 a.m., a Carville Avenue resident reported losing $500 on concert tickets on Facebook.
Excerpted from AARP January 2025: “25 Great Ways to Avoid Scams”
1. Accept your vulnerability
2. Practice radical skepticism
3. Pause and Think
4. Be suspicious of secrecy
5. Set up bank alerts
6. Be informed
7. Don’t pay for anything in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or gold
It’s best to pay with a credit card, which can protect you from all sorts of scams—including gift card scams. “Criminals prefer untraceable methods of payment that are hard to reverse, so they will tell targets to buy gift cards and read them the codes on the back to steal the funds,” DeLiema says. Other preferred payment vehicles for scammers include cryptocurrency, gold bars, prepaid debit cards and payment apps like Venmo and Zelle. If someone—especially a stranger—asks for payment or debt settlement using one of these payment methods, think twice.
February Stats
Assisting Fire Department: 92
Animal Control: 8
Community Relations: 10
Cruiser Check – House: 25, Business: 222, Person: 24, General: 26 = Total: 297
Directed Traffic: 148
Directed PLW: 5
Fraud: 12
The Lexington Police Department updates its call log on Monday mornings. Lexington Observer coverage is a sampling of incidents and is not an exhaustive list. Logs are available for public viewing.